1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional sensor optical waveguide and a three-dimensional sensor employing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Three-dimensional sensors are typically adapted to emit optical or electric radiation toward an object to be detected, receive optical or electric radiation reflected on the object and provide information such as the three-dimensional configuration, the position and the speed of the object through computational processing by means of a computer or the like (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-163429).
The prior-art three-dimensional sensors described above are bulky apparatuses. Therefore, it is impractical to mount such a prior-art three-dimensional sensor as finger touch position detecting means on a touch panel to be used for a banking ATM, a station's ticket vendor, a portable game player or the like, because the three-dimensional sensor is likely to have a greater size than a main body of the touch panel.
A three-dimensional sensor employing an optical waveguide as in the present invention is not conventionally known.